My Early Life

One of the classic volumes of autobiography, My Early Life is a lively and colourful account of a young man's quest for action, adventure and danger. Churchill's schooldays are undistinguished, but he is admitted to Sandhurst and embarks on a career as a soldier and a war correspondent, seeing action in Cuba, in India, in the Sudan - where he took part in the battle of Omdurman, of which he gives us a stirring account - and finally in South Africa.

The New World: A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume II

Between 1485 and 1688, England became a Protestant country under Henry VIII. His daughter, Elizabeth I, battled for succession and supremacy at home, and the discovery of 'the round world' enabled a vast continent across the Atlantic to be explored. While this new era was spawning the beginnings of modern America, England was engaged in a bloody civil war and sustained a Republican experiment under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell.

The Birth of Britain: A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume I

The English-speaking peoples comprise perhaps the greatest number of human beings sharing a common language in the world today. These people also share a common heritage. For his four-volume work, Sir Winston Churchill took as his subject these great elements in world history. Volume 1 commences in 55BC, when Julius Caesar famously "turned his gaze upon Britain" and concludes with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

The Great Democracies: A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume IV

The fourth and last volume in Churchill's famous account spans 1815 to 1901. It closes when the British Empire is at its peak, with a staggering one-fifth of the human race presided over by the longest reigning monarch in British history: Queen Victoria.

Never Give In!: The Best of Winston Churchill's Speeches

Winston Churchill was the most eloquent and expressive statesman of his time. It was as an orator that Churchill became most completely alive, and it was through his oratory that his words made their greatest and most enduring impact. While the definitive collection of Churchill's speeches fills eight volumes, here for the first time, his grandson, Winston S. Churchill, has put together a personal selection of his favorite speeches in a single, indispensable volume.

Marlborough: His Life and Times

John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough (1644-1722), was one of the greatest military commanders and statesmen in the history of England. Victorious in the Battles of Blenheim (1704) and Ramillies (1706) and countless other campaigns, Marlborough, whose political intrigues were almost as legendary as his military skill, never fought a battle he didn't win. Marlborough also bequeathed the world another great British military strategist and diplomat, his descendant, Winston S. Churchill.

Winston Churchill is perhaps the most important political figure of the 20th century. His great oratory and leadership during the Second World War were only part of his huge breadth of experience and achievement. Studying his life is a fascinating way to imbibe the history of his era and gain insight into key events that have shaped our time.

Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom

Both George Orwell and Winston Churchill came close to death in the mid-1930s - Orwell shot in the neck in a trench line in the Spanish Civil War and Churchill struck by a car in New York City. If they'd died then, history would scarcely remember them. At the time Churchill was a politician on the outs, his loyalty to his class and party suspect. Orwell was a mildly successful novelist, to put it generously. No one would have predicted that by the end of the 20th century, they would be considered two of the most important people in British history.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany

Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the 20th century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.

The River War

The northeastern quarter of the continent of Africa is drained and watered by the Nile. Among and about the headstreams and tributaries of this mighty river lie the wide and fertile provinces of the Egyptian Soudan. Situated in the very centre of the land, these remote regions are on every side divided from the seas by 500 miles of mountain, swamp, or desert. The great river is their only means of growth, their only channel of progress.

Winston's War: Churchill, 1940-1945

A vivid and incisive portrait of Winston Churchill during wartime from acclaimed historian Max Hastings, Winston's War captures the full range of Churchills endlessly fascinating character. At once brilliant and infuriating, self-important and courageous, Hastings' Churchill comes brashly to life as never before.

The World Remade: America in World War I

After years of bitter debate, the United States declared war on Imperial Germany on April 6, 1917, plunging the country into the savage European conflict that would redraw the map of the continent - and the globe. The World Remade is an engrossing chronicle of America's pivotal, still controversial intervention into World War I, encompassing the tumultuous politics and towering historical figures that defined the era and forged the future.

The Supreme Commander: The War Years of Dwight D. Eisenhower

In this classic portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower the soldier, best-selling historian Stephen E. Ambrose examines the Allied commander's leadership during World War II. Ambrose brings Eisenhower's experience of the Second World War to life, showing in vivid detail how the general's skill as a diplomat and a military strategist contributed to Allied successes in North Africa and in Europe and established him as one of the greatest military leaders in the world.

The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."

Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon

In August 1968 NASA made a bold decision: In just 16 weeks, the United States would launch humankind's first flight to the moon. Only the year before, three astronauts had burned to death in their spacecraft, and since then the Apollo program had suffered one setback after another. Meanwhile, the Russians were winning the space race, the Cold War was getting hotter by the month, and President Kennedy's promise to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade seemed sure to be broken.

The Mighty Endeavor: American Armed Forces in the European Theater in World War II

From the first landings at Casablanca straight through to the crossing of the Elbe River and V-E Day, this book tells the gripping story of the European theater of operations battles of World War II that American soldiers, sailors, and airmen took part in and of the strategy behind them. The book's core is its account of such famous and dramatic episodes as the landings in North Africa, Kasserine Pass, Salerno and Anzio; D-day; the liberation of Paris; the Battle of the Bulge; the crossing of the Rhine; and the race across Germany.

Dan McGrew says:"Great background on US Armed Forces in the ETO and MTO"

Napoleon: A Life

Andrew Roberts' Napoleon is the first one-volume biography to take advantage of the recent publication of Napoleon's thirty-three thousand letters, which radically transform our understanding of his character and motivation. At last we see him as he was: protean multitasker, decisive, surprisingly willing to forgive his enemies and his errant wife Josephine.

Audible Editor Reviews

History, as Winston Churchill famously predicted, has been good to him. His exalted place in the 20th century annals has been cemented through his Noble Prize-winning memoir, A History of the Second World War. In this audiobook version of the four-volume, 45-hour memoir, British actor Christian Rodska conveys the triumphs and tragedies of WW II with a voice as august and buoyant as we know Churchill's to have been. Consistently riveting and rich in historical insight, Churchill's memoir puts the listener in intimate audience with the powerful oration and defiant eloquence with which Churchill led a continent through its darkest hour.

Publisher's Summary

Churchill's history of the Second World War is, and will remain, the definitive work. Lucid, dramatic, remarkable for its breadth and sweep and for its sense of personal involvement, it is universally acknowledged as a magnificent reconstruction. Please note: This book was originally published in six volumes:

1.The Gathering Storm2. Their Finest Hour3. The Grand Alliance4. The Hinge of Fate5. Closing the Ring6. Triumph and Tragedy

Churchill then condensed these into four volumes, which have since been released as one, rather hefty, publication. Audible has published the unabridged recordings of Churchill's condensed volume, divided into four parts, as follows:

What a gift Winston Churchill has given his and future generations. This is an absolutely unique perspective on World War II. Not only was Churchill in the middle of all major decisions made in Great Britain during the war (and was aware of most of the pre-war decisions), he also has a keen sense of history and perspective that only a few historians possess. He also has a mastery of the English language and a sublime wit that brings this already compelling story to life.

As far as this volume (1 of 3 published, 1 to go - hopefully) it is absolutely remarkable the sheer number of opportunities there were to prevent/delay this conflict that were missed or explicitly ignored. In the beginning of this volume, Churchill declares WWII should have been named "The Unnecessary War" and it is hard to argue with his thesis. But his insight into this entire process is terrific. I highly recommend this set of books for anyone interested in the War or a remarkable view into a great leader in a trying time.

Finally, just a quick note on abridgment. It is true this is an unabridged audio book of the first of four volumes, but the four volumes are a textual abridgment of Churchill's original set of six volumes (but at least Churchill was apparently the one who did that abridgement). I have the original set of six and I am able to follow along with the audiobook. I end up reading the sections that were left out in the evenings and to me they are very interesting. Those sections left out are insightful and do add to the overall tapestry of the story.

It does not make this version any less worthwhile, though. As others have noted, the narrator sounds like Churchill (or at least like I imagine Churchill would sound like) which adds to the overall experience.

I often had the feeling that I was listening to a narration by Churchill himself. I'm not sure if this is an excellent imitation or if it is the way the narrator usually speaks. The narrator does a great job of bringing the man (and his words) alive. He also switches voices very effectively for other characters (such as Chamberlain and Baldwin). This book mostly focuses on the politics that led Britain and France to do little to stop Hitler from mobilizing Germany for war. It is a fascinating inside view.

This audiobook repaid many experimental purchases which have proven unworthy. It is majestic, insightful, and wonderfully autobiographical. Winston Churchill recounts the pre-war years from a vantage near (but not at) the top, and as an influential leader with many burdens and cares, his intimations of fear and regret are very moving. There is a reason he was voted #1 in the BBC's "100 Greatest Britons" in 2002, above Shakespeare, Newton and Darwin, and it is a treat to listen, wrapped, as if seated with the great man as he recounts his celebrated exploits first-hand.

Churchill's prose is often muscular and warlike, as was the man himself, despite his pinched voice and stature. Thus I think Christian Rodska has done a better job of narrating this work than the author could have. Who needs fiction with such grand history? As Churchill's closing lines declare, "Facts are better than dreams."

Winston Churchill says in his Prologue that this book is not history--"that is for future generations"--but he is confident (and this man is nothing if not confident) that historians will find his accounts useful. An understatement.

The narrative fully supports the old adages that "hindsight is 20-20" and "history is written by the victors." That said, it is a stunning experience, a unique you-are-there account of the 1930s into which are immersed. We experience the growing sense of helpless dread as the decade progresses and Hitler becomes stronger, the leaders of depression-ravaged Europe contort themselves in denial, and war becomes inevitable.

History aside, this book is a literary masterpiece. Churchill's breadth of mind and stunning command of English prose is brought to vivid life by Christian Rodska. The sound-byte darlings and intellectual midgets of today's political scene need to sit back, listen, and maybe even learn.

This is an account of WW-II from perhaps the most authoritative and articulate of witnesses. I was always sorry when I had to interrupt my listening to this classic. Few books I have listened to are so unceasingly compelling and as important in their subject matter. As a writer Churchill hardly needs either introduction or testament to his eloquence and fervor. Anyone unfamiliar with this work will be awed by his vision. Whether one agrees or not with Churchill's judgment, the experience of sharing his consciousness and his prose is an astonishing one. More than most selections this is a set of books to pass on from one generation to the next or from one connoisseur to another.

The reading of these volumes is also nonpareil. Throughout I am convinced that I am listening to Churchill himself.

If you want an unbiased history of the build-up to World War II, look elsewhere. This book is Winston Churchill's interpretation of the momentous events culminating in his coming to power in the early stages of the conflict.

But it is all the more interesting because it tells the story from his personal perspective. He is never shy of pointing out, time and time again, how his political colleagues could have avoided or delayed the war by standing up to Hitler. After the devastation of World War One the political climate in Britain was dominated by a desire for peace, and successive British governments stood back and watched while Hitler built a powerful military machine, a policy of appeasement which Churchill opposed vocally and consistently for many years. When Hitler invaded Belgium and Holland, the folly of the appeasers became undeniable and they stood down, making way for the one man who was ready for the fight.

Churchill's command of the English language is, of course, legendary. His radio speeches stirred and galvanized the British people and motivated them to make the necessary sacrifices in Britain's darkest hour. Although the subject of this story is a sombre one, it is a joy to hear it told in Churchill's own words.

It's one thing to read about WW2 from a historian, it's altogether different to hear it directly from one of the major players. It gave me new insight that I hadn't gathered from other books on the topic. The narration is also fantastic.

My only complaint is that I didn't realize this was the first of 4 parts when I bought it. It only leads up to the beginning of the war. I would like to have paid 2 credits for all 4 books together rather than having to buy each one separately. That having been said, I probably will end up buying the other three books.

This is a great read (listen). The Narrator, besides being excellent sounds exactly like Churchill!!! Winston Churchill was a master wordsmith so combine the great narration with one of the best authors in history and you have a 5 star book. History buffs this is a must... can't wait to listen to Book #2 "Alone".

Churchill's writing leaves little to be desired in painting a magnificent narrative of an epic time, people and events. This book and its sequels should fascinate and delight all readers, young and old, who enjoy a good tale, masterfully told. Most of the players are long gone, but they live again through Churchill's eyes and words. Yet, the essential Churchill is reveled in very personal commentary and anecdotes. Here is Churchill arguing with Stalin and nearly getting his feet burned by an aircraft heater while flying over the Atlantic. Don't miss these books!!

Excellent, just excellent, I listened to this as one might to a novel,it was so gripping. I have only downloaded this title a day or two and have finished it already. All through the reading I could hear the great man's voice. The reading was very good indeed

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Kirstine

Bonnyrigg, United Kingdom

9/16/11

Overall

"Riveting history by a master story-teller"

I couldn't stop listening to this first of four parts of this monumental work covering the prelude and execution of the Second World War written by the man who saw Britain through its darkest hours. He writes wonderfully well in a fluent and captivating style that gives a tremendous sense of immediacy to this historical record. Being of the generation born just after the War much of the bones of the story are well-known but not the details of just how near to disaster our country came on several occasions. Churchill's fine writing and the precarious nature of the events described make for a wonderful listen greatly enhanced by Christian Rodska's masterly narration. I've immediately started listening to the next part of this quartet of books.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Mark

Upper Belvedere, United Kingdom

6/8/10

Overall

"Brilliance"

Having finished listening to the whole four volumes of Churchill's WWII work, I can say that it was time extremely well spent. The narration was superb, with just enough Churchillism in the voice to bring images of the great man to mind. Churchill's writings are wonderful. If you are concerned that this work will be dull and tedious, don't worry, it is certainly not (I especially enjoyed the remark made by the Naval chap to the Russian official, after being offered a cigarette - find it in the fourth book!). Chances are, you'll be listening for a second or third time - I will. My only regret is that I listened to this work first - whereas, it may have been better to listen, initially, to the work on the first world war, then this work - but thats just me, there is no real reason why you cannot listen and enjoy this one first. Download this and enjoy. It will give you a better understanding of how the world managed to tumble into another war and of the great man himself. I don't really care much for celebrities, actors/actresses, singers and such, but of the very few people I admire, Churchill is one. And he would definitely be invited to my dining table- if only I could get the time machine to work!

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Kurt

Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom

3/5/10

Overall

"One of the best narrators I've heard"

Christian Rodska really makes this book come alive. You can imagine sitting next to Churchill himself reading the book. His accent and interpretation are spot on. And he is equally adept at other character accents in the book. I really enjoyed listening to it and became absorbed in both the story and in Churchill's splendid use of the language.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

KevinMc

Cambridge, United Kingdom

4/7/13

Overall

"Worth the read"

Winston Churchill is a great writer besides being a great Prime Minister. Really good to hear it form his point of view rather than from others writing about him or the war. You definitely realise this was a man ahead of his time, and one of the few to really get Hitler.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

2/20/13

Overall

"Fantastic"

This is a truly fantastic audiobook that has been very well narrated. I have listened to this time and again and keep finding new content of interest. If you have an interest in the second world war then, quite simply, you have to buy this.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Mrs M M J Evans

6/1/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Fascinating"

Loved it, fascinating to hear the real story. Narrated brilliantly with all the drama to get you hooked!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Mark

12/1/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"great listen"

Where does The Second World War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

among the best

What did you like best about this story?

Winston Churchill's first hand account of the war as it happened

Have you listened to any of Christian Rodska’s other performances? How does this one compare?

N/A

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Brilliant, first hand account of the story of world war 2

Any additional comments?

great listen

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Mindaugas

Copenhagen, Denmark

1/13/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Good listen even for a non native english speaker"

What made the experience of listening to The Second World War the most enjoyable?

I was caution at first, knowing nearly zero about UK politics, as I was afraid the book would be filled with names I knew nothing about, knowledge of which would be a prerequisite to understand the story.

It was not the case.

It is a very interesting book. So interesting, that I purchased second one immediately after I finish it.

What does Christian Rodska bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Christian Rodska does a superb job.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Michele

Cranleigh, United Kingdom

7/21/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Classic history lesson from the 'horses mouth'"

If you could sum up The Second World War in three words, what would they be?

I want to complete my education which is rather lacking in history so I am either reading novels based around important milestones or occasionally delving into the real deal. The Narrator Christian Rodska does a fair impression of Churchill when reading parts of his speeches and it really adds texture to the book.

What did you like best about this story?

The clear sentiments of Churchill about these historic times and his instincts that may have prevented war. Clearly written in hindsight but with sufficient evidence to suggest he did what he could at the time to avert disaster. I'm so pleased he chose to write the book.

What does Christian Rodska bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

He is excellent in bringing Churchill to life

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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